One last time please R&R
by Nikki K
Summary: Years have gone by, and a strange visitor comes to see Padme,... one last time. (( Romance-R&R ))


It had been years since they had seen each other.  
  
He had been given up for dead.  
  
Padme sat thinking, and crying as she had done every night since.....that day...  
  
The images flowed through her mind constantly.   
  
She could picture his master's expression, and her emotions as she gave in to what she was told.  
  
"Anakin......Dead....."   
  
Two words, out of a long sentence had the power of consuming everything she had within.  
  
The power to torment her, to break her.   
  
To ruin her life, itself.  
  
She shook her head, trying to make it go away, the pain.   
  
The tears flowed down her delicate skin.  
  
The olive-colored skin that was like a fine silk which enclosed her.  
  
And it was impossible for her not to notice that as she though of him each night, a stronger force began to consume her.  
  
The incredible pain the depression caused.  
  
Making her spiritless.  
  
She gave up hope.  
  
She had no idea what this had done to her, and what she was doing to herself.  
  
Eventually, she could feel it.  
  
It made her heart heavy, and caused tears to drift from her without stopping.   
  
Soon, she became weak.  
  
Until she knew.  
  
She knew what was happening.  
  
And it could have been prevented.  
  
Though, at this point, she wanted it to end.   
  
She was intelligent and figured it out on her own.   
  
Although, the watchful eye of her handmaiden and doctor had confirmed it.   
  
"You're....dying.."   
  
She was told by them.  
  
And yet, the fear it caused was no matter to equal the internal pain of a greater loss, so it seemed.   
  
She let go....and gave up...  
  
She woke up moments later on the floor.  
  
The overwhelming weakness had taken her, causing to lose brief conscienseness.   
  
She crawled on to a couch where she lay, to rest.  
  
She stayed there for days.  
  
For now, she had reached a point when she had nothing left to give, to hold on to.  
  
A point, where, she could cry no longer.   
  
She was alert.   
  
She heard sounds....crashing.....  
  
Suddenly, a dark figure approached.  
  
His suit outlined in the daylight that poured from her window.   
  
She was scared, and could do nothing.  
  
She knew him....he was a threat.  
  
He fought the jedi, and took lives of the innocent.  
  
It caused fear in her which was easily covered up by her extreme emotions.   
  
He knelt by her side.   
  
There he stayed, staring at her.  
  
Neither spoke a word.  
  
Until she gathered enough strength to question his presence.   
  
"Who are you..."  
  
He shook his head.  
  
His voice was deep....mechanical.  
  
"I'm sorry..."  
  
She looked at him, unable to speak.  
  
"I heard about your condition..."  
  
She nodded, and was concerned about his sudden change of heart towards her.  
  
She knew him for only one characteristic.  
  
Evil.  
  
A moment later, her breathing became laboured.  
  
It became harder for her to fill her lungs.   
  
She stared at him, not moving from his gaze, hidden by a large, black helmet.  
  
"Why....Do.......you....care...?"  
  
She asked, wheezing.  
  
"You're sick."  
  
She shook her head, slowly.  
  
"Change...of heart?"  
  
He did not reply.  
  
He couldn't.   
  
He was powerful.  
  
The *most* powerful.   
  
He never gave into emotions.  
  
He couldn't.  
  
Although he had the largest luxry of being powerful, able to control anyone or anything, he was restricted.  
  
To show his emotions.  
  
His voicebox hid his true identy, from showing the slightest sign of a weakness.  
  
All emotions were forbidden.  
  
And it had changed him.  
  
Completely.   
  
But now..it was hard to tell if he really was that Mechanical, emotionless monster.   
  
He shook his head, and she did not know why.   
  
He did it, because he refused to give in.   
  
Her heart was no longer pounding as fast, even with the swirl of emotions locked inside, her strength was leaving her.  
  
She could tell.  
  
" I'm not sick, I'm dying.."  
  
She managed to get out, in one, full, clear sentence.   
  
He stood up.  
  
He backed away, as he shook his head, more violently.   
  
He stopped.  
  
He couldn't do this, he couldn't give in.   
  
"Please..."  
  
She gasped for air.  
  
"Come back....I need...I need to know...."  
  
He stared,..transfixed on her beauty, even though she was fatally ill.   
  
He could feel it.  
  
He too, was weakening.  
  
Though, in a different way.   
  
He was giving in, against his will.   
  
To a force,...a power so strong, anyone as powerful as he could easily crumble at its demand.   
  
"..who you are..."  
  
She finished.  
  
Gasping uncontrollably.  
  
Holding on, and savouring every last breath.   
  
He knew he had to...he had to give in.  
  
No matter how hard he tried to hold in in.  
  
He felt the warm tears sting his eyes.  
  
He hated this feeling.   
  
"I'm so sorry....everything has changed..."  
  
She looked up at him, doing her best to cock her head.   
  
"I...Can.....Tell....You don't....want...to...do this....."  
  
She was suffering, with each breath she took.  
  
Physically....emotionally....  
  
"But I can sense....you...your feelings..."   
  
She gasped for air...  
  
"And .... I forgive....you..."  
  
Each word became more difficult to say, as her body was shutting down.   
  
He cried,..he gave in.   
  
It borke him, it made him fall to his knees once again.  
  
It destoryed all he was, though, not what had had once been.   
  
Without thinking, he lifted the helmet off, slowly.  
  
She choked.  
  
She stared at him.   
  
Her eyes wandering over every detail of his face.  
  
"Ani..."  
  
She didn't have to say more.  
  
"Padme, I'm so sorry..."  
  
He choked back on his tears, as he held back from breaking down.  
  
She coughed.  
  
She was choking.  
  
Her lungs were searching for air, but they could not get any.  
  
Her mouth opened, as she tried to breath in.  
  
She did.  
  
She managed one, fatal, breath.   
  
He leaned over her, his eyes met hers, finally after the longest time.   
  
He moved in to kiss her.  
  
She tilted her head to do the same.  
  
As he brought his lips to touch hers, the breifly met, when she pulled back.   
  
She fell.   
  
She hadn't pulled back.   
  
"I...Love...You..."  
  
It took him a moment to realise, he had been the one to whisper those words.   
  
And then to notice.  
  
Why.  
  
Why she had fallen...  
  
He Cried.  
  
He sobbed uncontrollably, as he scooped up her lifeless body in his strong arms.  
  
He held her.  
  
Close to his heart.  
  
As he kissed her on the forehead.  
  
One.  
  
Last.  
  
Time. 


End file.
